The present invention relates to a system including a set of relevant maps and a method of producing the maps that facilitate having an individual find their way through a complex building structure from an access point, such as an entrance, to a destination point such as a room where a fire alarm has gone off or a room having a desired exhibition.
This invention relates to the method of implementing effective navigation between the point of entry and any other location or between any two locations in a complex building or network of buildings in a short period of time.
A typical situation to which this invention is addressed is one in which speedy, successful navigation is desired for police, fire or medical personnel during an emergency in an opera house, concert hall, or museum. In order to satisfy these requirements, a roadmap must be created to enable a first time visitor to quickly become sufficiently familiar with the structure so they may find the location of the emergency immediately.
In certain circumstances, floor plans of the building are available for examination; however, in a complex building it is almost impossible for anyone who is not intimately familiar with the building to successfully navigate to any particular location in a short period of time using these plans. The nature of complex buildings makes it difficult to read floor plan documentation, especially when viewed for the first time and thus makes it difficult to make effective use of this information. Emergency personnel are reduced to requiring hand-holding guidance to or from any point or area where they may be needed. The assistance is rarely available. If the situation worsens in the area of an emergency, the emergency personnel and those they are assisting may have great difficulty navigating and evacuating the building.
An alternate to the need to rely on difficult to read and understand floor plans and dependence on hand-holding guidance is the creation of an easy to read, understand and follow three-dimensional representation in a two-dimensional map intended to illustrate the specific route for the visitor to enable arriving at the intended destination quickly and without assistance.
A primary object of this invention is to provide a technique for facilitating the travel of an individual, such as a fireman, from an entry point in the building to a determined destination point.
A related purpose of this invention is to facilitate such travel from entry point to destination point along the most direct path and to provide guidance which will be the speediest, least confusing travel.